Our Farewell
by luvless191
Summary: Something has happened to Shikamaru.  Ino has changed forever.  And now they can never tell each other how much they love each other.  Shikaino


_In my hands a legacy of memories _

_I can hear you say my name _

_I can almost see your smile _

_Feel the warmth of your embrace _

_But there is nothing but silence now _

_Around the one I loved _

_Is this our farewell?_

"Do you remember that day Shika-kun? It was so sunny. You laughed for once saying that my hair hurt your eyes. Then you and Choji both laughed at me when I danced around with my hair down. That was fun, wasn't it Shika-kun?"

_Sweet darling you worry too much_

_My child _

_See the sadness in your eyes _

_You are not alone in life _

_Although you might think that you are_

Ino looked up and smiled serenely. "Did you know that Sasuke asked Sakura out the other day?" Ino laughed. It sounded like the ringing of clear silver bells on a rainy day. It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard.

"She almost fainted. Naruto was so sad, though! He sulked about for a week. I forced Hinata into asking him out for ramen the other day. She fessed up about liking him. They're going out now, too." Ino laughed again, like a warm breeze on a sunny summer day. "Then Kiba was sad for a while, but apparently he met some girl from the rain village on his last mission. I hope that they're all happy."

_Never thought this day would come so soon _

_We had no time to say goodbye _

_How can the world just carry on? _

_I feel so lost when you are not at my side _

_But there is nothing but silence now _

_Around the one I loved _

_Is this our farewell?_

"It seems so weird. We're all growing up. We're getting stronger…wiser…

"I miss the little things though…like watching the clouds with you and Choji. Remember that one day when it started pouring? It rained right on us! Our dads were out on a mission together and we were all locked out of our houses. It was freezing and we all had to huddle together to keep warm. Then we _finally_ broke into the flower shop and stayed there all night talking and playing games. I miss playing games with you guys…even though I never really got Shogi and Go. You were so amazingly good at it, it was crazy!"

Ino looked at the sky. "I wish I could see your smile, Shikamaru. I miss it. Do you miss me? I wonder…do you watch us? Do you tell us what to do and guide us like you used to? I hope you do Shika…I hope you do."

She turned to leave. Two steps later, she suddenly whirled around.

"Oh, I have one more question for you before I leave. I never found out…you never told me…did you love Temari? She's engaged now; to some guy from the village of Mist. He's nice, and he's real smart too…and pretty cute. They're happy together…but she still misses you. I wonder though…did you love someone else? I wish you would tell me. But you only talk to Choji now, don't you?" Ino sighed. "I wish you'd talk to me…"

A sad look flashed over her face for a second, before that ever-bright smile resurfaced. "I need to go now, Shika, but I'll be back tomorrow, okay?" She grinned. "Goodbye my _deer_ Shika!"

_Sweet darling you worry too much_

_My child _

_See the sadness in your eyes _

_You are not alone in life _

_Although you might think that you are_

Ino turned to leave, a sob wracking her body, eyes on the ground. Without knowing it, she ran into Choji.

"Oh, sorry Ino. I didn't see you. Did you go to see Shikamaru?"

Ino nodded. "Yeah. He didn't talk to me though. He only talks to you now, doesn't he?"

Choji shrugged. "He hasn't talked to me for awhile now."

"I wanted to ask him question so I'm pretty bummed he didn't talk to me."

"What did you want to ask him?"

"Oh, something silly." Choji raised his eyebrows, egging Ino on. "I was gonna ask him who he likes. I kinda think the answer would be Temari though."

Choji shook his head. "I actually know the answer to that question, and it's not Temari."

She looked up.

"He told you? Waai, Choji, why didn't you tell me before?! Who is it? Who is it?"

Chouji did not pause.

"It's you, Ino."

"Me?"

She was stunned.

_Me?_

"He's liked you since we were little. You were just too much of an idiot and Sasuke groupie to realize it."

Ino laughed, choking a little. "Well…that's good to know."

"So what? It's not like you can marry him." Choji said bitterly.

"In my mind I can!"

"So your never gonna marry anyone?"

"Exactly." Ino walked away, a small smile playing upon her face.

That night as she slept Ino replayed that awful night over in her head, the gruesome images flashing in her mind, making her toss and turn in uneasy sleep.

"Ino! Run!"

"I'm not leaving you!"

"Baka! If you stay you'll die!"

"Same goes for you!"

"Choji! We need to get Choji out of here or he'll die!"

Tears spilled down Ino's face as she tried again and again to fight off the Akatsuki members swarming them. There weren't going to get out…there was no way.

A small shadow passed over Ino. She looked slowly upward. Terror filled Ino's teary blue eyes. "A raven." A terrified whisper escaped her lips as a single black feather flew of one of the death bird's wings, floating gently, finally landing on Shikamaru's shoulder. "No."

A blast came from the hill above them. It sent rocks flying in all directions. Suddenly another Atkasuki member flew from the dust, his face covered in a strange orange mask. He lunged at Shikamaru, who ducked below the black figure. "Ino! Get out of here NOW!"

"No! You have to get of here, Shika! Please! Shikamaru!!!"

"I'm the team captain and I said leave!" Shikamaru's brown eyes hardened in his determination. "Ino, I don't want to see you get hurt. I can't afford that."

"SHIKAMARU!!!!!!!!!!" Shikamaru turned his head to see the masked man digging a kunai into his back. Shikamaru turned his head to face Ino for the last time, blood like a waterfall coming from his back. They threw him into the dust by Ino's feet and Choji's unconscious body.

"Ino…run…I…no…"

_So sorry, your world is tumbling down_

_I will watch you through these nights_

_Rest your head_

_And go to sleep_

_Because my child_

_This is not_

_Our farewell…_

Ino fell to her knees, choking and sobbing. "Shika! No, no, no! Shika! Wake up!! Wake up!" She called desperately, shaking his body softly. The cloaked figures around her laughed manically staring at her, hungry for her blood.

"Now the question is…should we kill her…or keep her for our own pleasure?" One asked coming over to stroke Ino's pale hair. Ino turned and threw a kunai which he dodged, going back over to join his team mates.

"No…she has suffered sufficiently. Let her live…it will be more torture to her than dying at this point." The masked one said before he left, followed by the others. Ino watched the cloaked figures disappear rapidly into the shadows, tears trekking waterfalls down her cheeks, her only companions a plethora of ravens and the bodies of her teammates, one barely breathing, and the other… the other one…

The one she adored above all else…

Gone.

Ino lived…and so did Choji. But Shikamaru was gone. The kunai in his back was poisoned, not to mention implanted with a jutsu that had spikes come out to penetrate his whole body once stabbed into it.

He was buried on the hill he loved so much…the one where he, Choji and Ino liked to watch clouds from…the one where they had all meet when they were little and the one where they had so many happy memories.

Ino was never the same. She became stronger, vowing to avenge Shikamaru's death one day…which she eventually did. But she was never the same…she was broken...

Ino awoke in the middle of her dream…her memories swirling around her head. She had been crying in her sleep again. She shook her head then looked out her window. It was a perfect cloudy night out so she decided she would go visit Shikamaru's grave again to calm her down.

Ino lay next to the grave of her love in the dark, watching the stars twinkle above her head. "Will you ever talk to me again Shika-Kun?"

"_When you say those words."_

Ino looked up suddenly very alert. Had that been the wind? Or had she really just heard Shikamaru's voice?

"What words?" She asked the cold night. "The only thing I wish I could have said to you before you left is…I love you."

A bright light flashed before Ino. She placed a hand over her eyes, shielding them until the light left. In its place stood the faint figure of Shikamaru. Tears came to Ino's eyes.

"Shika…"

"I love you too, Ino." The figure gently leant down towards Ino, placing his lips on hers. Ino could not feel him, and when she tried to hug him her hands fell through air…but she knew he was there, and that he would stay with her until she to passed on and was able to join him once again.

_This is not_

_Our farewell…_

_WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I Killed Shika!!! How could i have... ;; The song in the back is 'Our Farewell' by Within Temptation I was listening to it the whole time I was writing this...i was also crying... ;; so i hope you liked it! hopefully my next wont be so sad! please review!_


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